Happenings
by peculiarities
Summary: Just some one-shots/drabbles of events before, during, and after the movie in many POVs.
1. Chapter 1

**Happenings**

**Chapter One  
**

**Fa Li on the Matchmaker  
**

**(Takes place at the beginning of _Mulan_)  
**

* * *

_Hi, everyone!  
_

_Okay, I_ love_ Disney. Like most people, I grew up with it. Recently I've been watching the movies again, because I have two younger siblings. (No, I didn't persuade _them_ to watch it with _me_ ;))  
_

_Anyways, Mulan is one of my favorite Disney princesses, so I thought I would write something for her.  
_

_The following is a lot of one-shots/ drabbles that happen before, during, and after the movie. I probably won't write anything during Mulan II because I don't like that movie.  
_

_This story is more planned out, so it won't end up like my other stories.  
_

_Enjoy!_

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Mulan.

* * *

_ Look at her, _Fa Li thought. Mulan stood uncomfortably, dressed in fine silks. For a while, Li was afraid Mulan would never 'grow up' and start thinking seriously about being a good wife and mother.

Mulan was never like other girls her age. She never played dress up, or dream about her future husband and children, even though that was the only opportunity available to girls. Instead she preferred to learn, read, and take part in games that only the boys were interested in. Of course, being as young as she was, no one looked down upon her, thinking it was just a phase.

Then Mulan grew up, and didn't change. Li started to get worried. No man would want a wife who behaved as Mulan did. Thank the Ancestors, Mulan had finally grown up.

It didn't help that Mulan's Grandmother Fa didn't enforce the rules as much.

Right now Grandmother Fa was giving Mulan a necklace with beads of jade, a pendant, an apple, and her 'lucky' cricket.

Li internally groaned. The lucky cricket caused many disasters, yet Grandmother Fa insisted that it _was _lucky, no matter how many times Li protested.

Li and Grandmother Fa ushered Mulan out the door and into the line of other girls waiting to go to the Matchmaker.

She could hear Mulan praying to her Ancestors to help her. Li silently did the same. Grandmother Fa nudged her with her elbow. "Don't worry, she'll be fine!"

But Grandmother Fa was always too optimistic, so she still worried.

Grandmother Fa and Li both moved to the front of the crowd, waiting anxiously as the Matchmaker walked out of the building.

"Fa Mulan," she said in a monotonous voice. Fa Li would never admit it out loud, but she sounded very much like a man.

"Present!"

"Speaking without permission..." the Matchmaker noted.

"Oops," Mulan murmured.

As they walked inside, Grandmother Fa leaned over to Li. "Who spit in her bean curd?"

Li just watched the door, praying that everything would be fine.

A few minutes later, there was some banging and shrieking inside.

Grandmother Fa smiled pleasantly. "I think it's going well, don't you?"

Just then the Matchmaker burst out of the building.

_Oh my,_ Fa Li thought.

The normally put together Matchmaker now had an ink beard. And her behind was on fire.

"Put it out, put it out, PUT IT OUT!" she screamed.

Mulan ran outside, teapot in hand, and dumped the contents on the Matchmaker. Now embarrassed in front of half the village, she walked quickly to her mother and grandmother.

The Matchmaker, now with tea dripping down her, furiously addressed Mulan.

"You are a _disgrace_! You may look like a bride, but you will NEVER bring your family honor!"

With that, she disappeared within the building again.

Townspeople whispered behind them. Burning with embarrassment, Fa Li turned back to the direction of their farm as the three women began the awkward walk home.

**oOo**

****When they got home, Fa Zhou greeted his daughter with a smile.

Sadly, Mulan turned, and walked away.

"Li, what...?" Zhou's question stopped as he realized what happened.

Li shook her head sadly. "Now how will we find a match for her, Zhou?"

"We'll figure something out, Li. Surely some man will want her."

"But she is so unfeminine. She prefers not to do the things a wife should do."

"We'll find a way, Li."

"I suppose. But soon, you know there is no other way a girl can bring her family honor..."

* * *

**Or is there? Oh, the irony of Mulan's situation.**

**Sorry it is so short!  
**

**I will update again as soon as I can :)  
**

**If you have not watched _Mulan_, you should. She is not your typical Disney princess, I assure you.  
**

**In the meantime, review! Tell me what you want to see next, and how I could improve! Or just tell me what you thought of it :)  
**

**Until next time!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Happenings **

**Chapter 2  
**

**Departure  
**

* * *

_Hmm, next chapter. _**  
**

_I'll try to update every weekend, let's see if I can.  
_

_Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I appreciate every single review!  
_

__Disclaimer: I do not own_ Mulan_.

* * *

This takes place after the last chapter.

* * *

Fa Zhou found Mulan sitting on a bench, staring at the ground.

Quietly, he approached her and sat beside her.

"My, my, what beautiful blossoms we have this year. But look, this one's late. I bet when it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of all." he said, pulling her hair back and placing a blossom behind her ear.

Mulan smiled at him.

Suddenly, drums were heard. He got up quickly, and started to walk towards the house.

"What is it?" Mulan asked, startled.

Fa Zhou kept walking, hurrying to get there in time.

Outside, a counsel of the emperor was reading family names.

"...the Yee family!"

A man stepped forward, offering to take his father's place.

"The Fa family!"

Zhou gave his cane to Li. He had to appear strong and uphold their family's honor. Slowly, he walked forward and prepared to take the scroll.

"I am ready to serve the emperor."

Mulan suddenly ran through the crowd towards him.

"Father, you can't go!" she cried desperately.

"Mulan!" he gasped, shocked.

"Please, sir, my father has already fought for-" she was cut off by the counsel.

"Silence!" he exclaimed. "You will do well to teach your daughter to hold her tongue in a man's presence." he now addressed Zhou.

"Mulan. You dishonor me." Mulan looked at him sadly, ashamed.

"You will report tomorrow at the Moo-Shung Camp." the counsel told him, then handed him the scroll.

The Fa family slowly walked back to their house.

**oOo**

****Back at home, Fa Zhou was filled with worry.

He had to stay strong for his family, but how could he fight? His leg was wounded badly the last time he fought.

_No,_ he thought. He would practice. He would become strong again.

He went to his closet, and pulled the doors open, taking out his armor.

Sword in hand, he started to practice his techniques. After a few moves, his leg gave out, and he fell against a pillar.

His leg ached, and he was panting from the pain.

Somehow, he would find a way to do this.

**oOo**

At dinner, Mulan seemed ill at ease.

She quickly let her anger and worries out.

She poured everyone's tea, the set it on the table roughly.

"You shouldn't have to go!"

"Mulan!" Fa Li gasped, shocked at Mulan's behavior.

"There are plenty of young men to fight for China!" Mulan continued her rant.

"It is an honor to protect my country and my family." Fa Zhou stated calmly.

"So you'll die for honor." Mulan stated in disbelief.

"I'll die doing what's right." Zhou corrected.

"But if you.." Mulan started, but Fa Zhou was done.

"I know my place. It's time you learned yours." He said rather harshly.

Mulan stared at him in shock. The she turned and ran out crying.

"Zhou?" Li asked him.

Grandmother Fa clicked her tongue in disappointment. "It's about to rain, too. She'll catch a cold!"

She then walked away to her room, muttering about herbal medicine for colds.

Zhou stared at her retreating figure in disbelief, then stormed off to his room, leaving Li staring at him with worry.

**oOo**

"Zhou, I'm worried about Mulan." Li began tentatively. She was the traditional wife, and rarely spoke out against his actions.

"I know, Li. But she is grown up. She needs to learn her roles as a woman."

"I don't know, she was always the one to prove herself. What if she does something?"

"Don't worry, Li. I'll talk to her in the morning." Zhou blew out the candle, and the room was engulfed in darkness.

**oOo**

He was awoken by his mother bursting into his room.

"Mulan is gone!" she yelled.

"What it can't be..." he looked over to the table beside his bed. Where the scroll had once been, there was now a comb with a pretty flower on it.

_Mulan's_, he thought in shock.

Quickly he ran outside in the rain. Khan was gone too. Mulan foolishly had taken his place.

He fell to his knees. "Mulan! No!"

Li and his mother came out beside him.

"You must go after her! She could be killed!" Li said, worriedly.

"If I go after her, she will be." he said, somberly.

His mother left to go to the temple to ask for help.

Unable to move, Zhou stayed on the ground.

_"Ancestors, please. Please help my daughter."_

* * *

**Well, slightly longer chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! In the meantime, review! It'll help me update faster! (Wink,wink, nudge, nudge ;))**


	3. Chapter 3

**Happenings**

* * *

_This is way overdue  
_

_Like the title suggests, this chapter is the part of the movie where this song plays.  
_

_Right now it is only the song, but I may do the meeting with Ping.  
_

_Also, if you sent me a suggestion for this fic, I will use it sooner or later.  
_

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Mulan.

* * *

Shang sighed as he looked at his men trying to get to the arrow. It wasn't just a matter of strength, it was also about technique, and so far, nobody was understanding that.

He winced as Ping, probably the worst recruit, fell down the pole. He was so awkward and scrawny, it was as if he was a child.

As Ping walked by, rubbing his back, he nervously glanced at Shang. Shang stared at him sternly, for there was no room for weakness in the army.

"We've got a long way to go," Shang thought aloud. _Let's get down to business. The Huns are the enemy, and I must do all it takes to prepare these men for battle, _he thought.

He performed a basic move, throwing clay pots in the air and smashing them with a pole. It was actually quite simple, and by doing so, he hoped the recruits could learn accuracy and technique, something they obviously lacked.

To say the least, it did not go as planned.

How Ping had managed to mess up the simple task of catching a pole, he had no idea. But somehow he knocked everyone over while jumping around and flailing.

He picked up Ping by his collar and told him that this would not be accepted. To the side, Chi Fu wrote down notes, which only fueled his anger.

* * *

None of his recruits did satisfactory, so he decided to move on to aim.

Three tomatoes lay on the front of the board, his foot on the other side soon turned into three tomatoes neatly speared on the tree trunk.

He should've known none of them would be able to do it.

He sighed inwardly. These were not the recruits he hoped he would train.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of red. Turning his head, he saw nothing red except for the tomatoes on Ping's bow- _on Ping's bow?!_

He marched to Ping, and felt even more irritated when Ping had the nerve to smile at him, even if it was guiltily.

Shang narrowed his eyes, and walked away. There would be no more going easy on these men- or rather, boys.

Honestly, he knew none of the men would be able to do the next exercise- it required balance and fast reflexes. Still, maybe there was a chance...

There was no chance. These men could not be trained.

* * *

Shang finished his rice, and gave the bowl to the chef with a nod.

He needed a good night's sleep after this.

As he walked through the dark to his tent, he heard noise. Glancing over, he saw his men having a good time, while eating and telling stories.

"Hey, captain," one of his men slurred.

Shang sighed. He'd been doing that more often lately.

Walking over to them, he narrowed his eyes.

"Where is it?"

"Where's what, captain?"

Rolling his eyes, Shang replied, "The wine. Where is the wine?"

The man stuttered nervously. Looking closer, Shang could see it was Cheng, a favorite among the men.

Right now, no one wanted to be seen with him, seeing as he was about to get in big trouble.

Cheng handed the bottle to Shang.

Shang gave Cheng a strict nod and walked away.

Almost at once, his men crowded around Cheng.

_Except for Ping_, Shang thought. Where was that boy?

Looking around, Shang found him beside his tent, seemingly talking to himself.

"I know I'm doing horribly, but I can't go home. There's nothing for me there, really. Plus, imagine what would happen if the townspeople found out. Or worse- the captain."

Though it was quiet, there was no mistaking what the boy was saying. And although he had not said anything important, Shang felt like he had intruded on an intimate moment.

_There's something off about this situation. But what?_

* * *

After Ping's failure of carrying weight up the mountain, Shang decided to send him home.

In all honesty, Shang should have sent him home days ago. It was just that whispered conversation that he had intruded upon which had made him uncertain.

But now, the decision was made.

Still, he felt guilty.

Especially when he saw the sadness in Ping's eyes, and knew what was in store for him when he went back home.

But Shang knew his duty for China was more important that a single boy, so he turned around, leaving Ping to face whatever consequences he would have to alone.

But if there was one thing about Ping Shang should not have forgotten, it was his determination. It was foolish to think Ping would simply go home after Shang told him to. No, Ping had to prove everyone wrong.

As the arrow glided neatly into the ground in front of Shang's feet, he couldn't help but feel relieved. Ping could stay, hopefully.

After Ping's success with the arrow, the other recruits became more and more determined to succeed. They pushed themselves harder and harder, until they were beyond what Shang hoped they could be.

And Ping led them all. Shang wasn't sure if he had been downplaying his skill, or if he simply hadn't had it inside of him, but Ping was undoubtedly one of his best recruits.

Sure, Ping had his faults, but he really was a nice boy, if not strange. And even if he puzzled Shang immensely, he was truly a great addition to the Chinese army.

* * *

_As much as I want you to anticipate the next chapter of this story (along with fave, alert, and review it) this is a story I will update when I have inspiration to, so there won't be an updating schedule, really. But I would prefer you to read well-written stories that are late rather than crappy ones that are posted every week or so. _

_I take requests for fics, and if you PM or review I will reply.  
_

_Until next time ;)_


	4. Chapter 4

_**AN:** I haven't watched Mulan in a while, but since many people wanted me to update, I decided to do it. For you guys. You're welcome XD_

_It's really short- like drabble size, but I wrote this is literally a couple of minutes because I knew if I didn't update now, I never would._

* * *

During dinner, Mulan felt her smile grow faker and faker. It wasn't that she wasn't happy, she had just saved China! The thought alone was unbelievable. Not to mention, Shang was sitting at her table. She had developed quite a crush on him since he finally warmed up to her during training. When she was revealed, she worried she would not see him- along with Chien Po, Ling, and Yao- again, not only because she fancied him, but also because he turned out to be a really great and interesting friend.

So she should've been happy that everything miraculously was turning out well, but she wasn't. The worries in her mind were too much to ignore, and even as her family told Shang stories about her childhood, she couldn't bring herself to be embarrassed.

_What do I do now? _she thought. _I can't just go back to hiding behind the mask of a perfect girl. Rumors are already spreading, I can never be the person I was before._ She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, she hated being that girl, and to finally be free of her was a freedom she never had felt before. But if she was a warrior, men probably wouldn't like to marry her. She would never be the demure bride they wanted her to be. And since she was a woman, her job in the military (if she was allowed to have one) wouldn't be the same as the men. She would never be taken seriously by some people, no matter how many times she saved China.

"Mulan?...Mulan?" her mother was calling her.

"I'm sorry, mother, what did you say?" Mulan asked quietly, her mind still filled with doubts.

Her mother frowned slightly, unaware of Mulan's inner turmoil. "I asked if you could show Captain Li Shang around the gardens."

"Yes, of course."

Her grandmother winked at her, she just wanted Mulan to woo the handsome military captain, as was typical of her.

But on her way out her father caught her hand gently, and looked at her with confidence in her in his eyes, and her doubts were momentarily put to rest.

* * *

Oh, this was awkwardness at its best. Both Shang and Mulan were attempting to make conversation, but it was stilted, as was all of their conversation after she had been revealed.

Mulan found a bit of the courage she had gained in the army and spoke up, "Look, if you're going to act like this just because I'm a woman, I guess you should just leave, because I'm not going to pretend to be your friend if you don't like me anymore."

Shang jumped up indignantly, "No! It's nothing like that! Mulan..." he broke off and looked at the ground. "I like you quite a bit-" he rolled his eyes, losing his embarrassment. "I don't know why or how, but it's the truth. You can imagine how confused I was during training." A slight blush warmed his cheeks.

"Um...wha- really?" Mulan finally said. "I mean- I do too. Like you, I mean."

Shang smiled at her. "I'm new to this, but I suppose you know where to go from here, you look like you're the age that has been to the matchmaker. Oh- are you engaged yet?"

Mulan gritted her teeth, ready for embarrassment. "Um no- you see..." and she launched into her tale, which had Shang laughing incredulously. Pretty soon their conversation returned to its easy nature before the revealing, as Mulan referred to it.

After a while she noticed Shang was staring at her with a soft look on his face. "What?" she asked.

"Oh, nothin-ummph!" Mulan had smashed her lips onto his. It was awkward and weird, but it felt right to her.

She broke away, and her blush made an appearance. "Sorry...I just..."

"No, it's okay, it was just...sudden to say the least."

"That was my first kiss." Mulan admitted.

"Mine too" Shang told her with a smile.

That was when she knew. The doubts would always be there- they'd always come back to haunt her. But with people like Shang in her life, she could control them and life the life she'd always wanted to- and was now allowed to live.

* * *

_R&R! Even if I don't reply (sorry) I always read and truly appreciate your review._

_Leave suggestions, comments, and critiques. _

_Until next time!_


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